The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.71% on Thursday to close at 61,867, ending a two-session losing streak as semiconductor stocks advanced following a bullish outlook from Advantest. Shares of the chip-testing equipment maker surged more than 10% after it raised its full-year operating profit forecast by 35%, supported by strong demand tied to artificial intelligence investment.
The optimism spread to other technology and AI-related names, including Kioxia Holdings (up 2.7%), Tokyo Electron (up 4.3%), Murata Manufacturing (up 2.3%), Ibiden Co (up 1.2%), and Hitachi (up 6.1%).
In contrast, SoftBank Group slipped 2.7% after its subsidiary Arm Holdings fell nearly 6% in after-hours trading, pressured by a sales outlook that disappointed investors. Financial and consumer-oriented stocks also trailed the broader market, with notable declines in Mitsubishi UFJ (-3.5%), Toyota Motor (-2.7%), and Fast Retailing (-2.5%).
